The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

It has been more than 80 days since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill began. I have watched in horrified amazement as this disaster unfolded. It is obvious that we have no idea how to respond to oil spills at this depth. We did not implement our own worse case scenario plan. We did not instigate a burn. We did not have the skimmers and booms we needed. We turned down the offers of other countries who wanted to help.


What did the federal government do? For over 30 days it did virtually nothing! The government sat there twiddling its thumbs as the black oil crept closer and closer to shore. I did not expect the federal government to plug the spill, but I did expect them to do something – anything – to protect the shores.

The Gulf States begged for help. They received little. In many, many cases the federal government actually prevented the states from helping themselves. The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers said that states could not build berms without a study because it might adversely affect the environment. Any sane person knows the oil would do vastly more damage than a berm would.

Please tell me that this very slow and lack-luster response to the spill was not done to advance a political agenda. “If the damage is bad enough, we can pass Cap + Trade.” Of course, the alternative reason – incompetence – is not reassuring either.

It is obvious that this country needs oil – our own oil – to function. We must not depend on foreign oil. Practical alternative fuel is far in the future. We need to seek safer oil. If the government can not protect our shores from deep-water drilling, we need to drill closer to shore where spills can be contained quickly. We need to drill on shore. We need to make use of our large quantities of shale oil. We need more clean coal and natural gas. We can not afford to turn this country into a third world economy by waiting for some unknown or undeveloped alternative fuel. We need fuel now. We have fuel – let us use it.

Signed,
The Electorate

2011 Budget Hidden in War Bill

The House recently passed and the Senate is considering a supplemental war funding bill. Of course, Congress is adding billions in extra spending for their favorite projects, which are in no way related to war funding. This unfortunately is only Washington politics as usual.

What is really offensive is a hidden provision that was added to the bill which states that if the war funding bill is passed that the 2011 budget will “be deemed as passed”. Congress is too cowardly to openly debate and vote on next year’s budget. They know it is larger than last year’s humongous budget. This budget includes over one and a half trillion dollars of deficit spending. Congress knows the public is concerned about their outrageous spending and borrowing. The American people want the government to cut spending and reduce the debt. Congress does not want to go on record as voting for this spending binge in an election year. Hence they seek to hide the budget in another bill.

The 2011 budget should not be slipped through in a hidden provision. It needs to be openly and fully debated. Congress’ votes need to be recorded. If you support the bill, you must be willing to say so. You are responsible for your votes. The American people are tired of dirty tricks and backdoor deals. We deserve better.

Most importantly do not use our military to sneak through more outrageous spending. Anyone who uses our military to pass a bloated budget should be ashamed. This would be Washington at its devious worst.

Signed,
The Electorate

Department of Justice Lawsuit

Today the Department of Justice filed suit against the state of Arizona stating that Arizona’s law was illegal because it was the job of the federal government to secure the borders of this country. No one has ever disagreed with the statement that securing our borders is the responsibility of the federal government. However the federal government is derelict in its duty. The federal government has not secured our borders. It no longer even seems to be trying to secure our borders.

The Constitution was never meant to be a suicide pact. James Madison made it very clear in the Federalist Papers that if the federal government did not or could not secure our borders that states retained the right of self-defense. Does anyone really think that if hostile Indians swarmed a state’s border that the state would wait for the federal government to defend them? The answer is obvious. Drug dealers and human traffickers are now swarming our southern borders. If the federal government will not act, states are permitted to protect themselves.

The federal government should take this opportunity to assure the states that it will secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws. The federal government should not seek to further its political agenda by using the trouble and suffering of the citizens of this country.

Signed,
The Electorate

NASA's Mission

The Electorate is finally over their ennui regarding this Congress and President and is now back to a regular writing schedule. We'll be starting off with NASA Chief Charles Bolden's statements of Obama's instructions for NASA.


In an interview with Al Jazeera Charles Bolden, the NASA administrator, stated that President Obama charged NASA with three tasks. The most important of these tasks was “to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world”.

This is insanity!! Are the inmates in charge of the asylum?

NASA’s mission is the exploration of space – for this country. NASA is not a political organization. Why is this administration perverting it? Why is Congress allowing this to happen?

Last spring the President, single-handedly, ended the United States manned space program. He gave up our leadership in space. Now he is using this once proud program to investigate global warming and singing “kumbaya” with friends and foes alike.

Bolden also stated that the United States is not going to travel beyond low-Earth orbit on its own. This statement is incorrect. Our government is not allowing NASA to go beyond low-Earth orbit. We have the ability to explore beyond this point. We need to unleash NASA and let it do what it wants to do – what has done in the past and can do again.

Allow NASA to explore the final frontier. The future awaits us.

Signed,
The Electorate


Snark from the Daughter of the Electorate: I guess we were stupid to believe the goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was space flight.

Get Serious: Secure the Border!

American citizens have been asking the federal government to secure our southern border. American lives are at risk. Tuesday the Administration made an almost useless gesture. The President threw a bone to the clamoring American public. He said that he would send 1200 of the National Guard to help secure the border. That would be one member of the National Guard every one and two-thirds miles. Is this supposed to secure the border? Is this a bad joke? The government needs to send ten times this number. We need 12,000 troops – not 1,200.

Early reports state that the troops sent will be used in administrative positions. We need “Boots on the Border” and not “Boots under Desks”. Currently border patrol agents are out gunned and out numbered. The National Guard could correct this problem.

Meanwhile where is the fence that we have been promised for the last twenty-five years? We can reduce our unemployment rate by hiring workers to BUILD the FENCE. In areas where a fence has been built the borders are significantly more secure.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans are serious about securing the border. Democrats see more Democratic voters. Republicans see cheap labor. The public sees a serious problem that threatens their lives and the national security. We are tired of governmental dithering.

The primary job of the federal government is to protect its citizens. SECURE THE BORDER –NOW! Finish the fence and send at least ten thousand of the National Guard to secure the border

Signed,
The Electorate

Health Care Rationing May Be Our Future

During the health care debate the public expressed concern that the health care bill would result in rationing and bureaucrats denying health care because it deemed that care to not be cost effective. We were told by politicians that we were being foolish and that that would never happen.

NOW let us look at the man that President Obama has nominated to head Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). What are the beliefs and policies advocated by Donald Berwick? CMS is the world’s second largest health care insurance provider - only Great Britain’s NHS is larger. Currently the CMS covers over 98 million Americans and has a budget of around 800 million tax payer dollars. It provides health care coverage for almost one-third of our population.

Donald Berwick is a big supporter of the rationed British system. He has stated, “I am romantic about NHS. I love it.” He has also said, “Any health care funding plan that is equitable civilized and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer...Excellent health care is by definition redistributional.” He believes we should have a socialized health care system like that found in Great Britain. Of course, their survival rate for nearly every disease is significantly lower than ours.

The British rationing system (NICE) denies treatment if they deem this treatment to not be cost effective. Berwick supports this cost cutting rationing saying, “NICE is extremely effective.” I’m sure that the people who die because their treatment is denied, don’t appreciate this cost effectiveness.

The health care bill that Congress passed, against the wishes of the American people, has placed an unbearable burden on our health care system. We do not have the money to pay for it and we do not have enough medical providers. We will have another EMERGENCY. Isn’t it fortuitous that last year Congress established the Comparative Effectiveness Research panel (CER)? What a coincidence! We already have a bureaucratic panel that will determine who is “cost effective” and may receive medical treatment. If Donald Berwick’s nomination is approved he can approve and administer this health care rationing. He has already praised the British rationing system and would support it in this country. When asked if CER would lead to rationing he replied, “The decision is not whether or not we will ration care. The decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open.”

This sounds like a “Death Panel” to me. The question is whether Congress will allow Donald Berwick, a health care rationing enabler, to be appointed to run the CMS.

Signed,
The Electorate

Deficit Spending

For over a year people have been protesting Washington’s out-of-control spending and the rising deficit. Congress said it was listening to the people and passed Pay/Go. The concept is good, but Congress has exempted many, many project from the Pay/Go requirements. Since Pay/Go was passed, Congress has increased deficit spending by 173 billion dollars. Pay/Go will only work if Congress actually abides by it.

Before the Memorial Day recess Congress proposes to spend 200 billion more dollars. Congress’ pledge to spend tax payer dollars carefully has quickly vanished. This is Washington spending as usual.

Is Congress observing what is happening in Greece? Greece has piled entitlements on entitlements. Greece has been spending money it does not have. Greece is facing bankruptcy. The IMF is bailing out Greece – We are bailing out Greece. This is like Germany bailing out California. We should not be bailing out the EU.

Greece should be a cautionary tale for the United States. Congress has just placed a massive entitlement (Health Care) on the shoulder of the citizens of the United States. Congress has been spending massive amounts of money that we do not have. Washington needs to wake up and smell the rotting roses.

Congress is ignoring the proposed 2011 budget. They do not want to consider it in an election year. They know that the public is disgusted with Congress’ massive deficit spending. The 2011 budget spends 3.38 TRILLION dollars. This is a 9.7 percent increase over this year’s budget – which was a massive increase over the 2009 budget. The proposed 2011 budget includes 1.56 TRILLION dollars of deficit spending.

Congress needs to really listen to the voice of the people. Congress needs to stop spending money that we do not have. Congress is running down the road to ruin. Stop and reverse course!

The ultimate authority...resides in the people alone (James Madison). Congress serves at the pleasure of the people. The people are not happy.

Signed,
The Electorate